Jack for sole pressing machines



April 18, 1950 c. F. FITZGERALD JACK FOR SOLE PRESSING MACHINES 2 Sheecs$heet 1 Filed June 28, 1947 hvenfor Charles F E'zzgem/d April 18, 1950 c. F. FITZGERALD JACK FOR SOLE PRESSING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1947 M a F 6 2%", T HO n w r G M5 Patented Apr. 18,, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAGK FOR SBLE PRESSING MACHINES Charles F. Eitzgerald, Beverly Mass assignor to, nit d Sho Ma in orpo a i F em ngton, N. J., a corporation of NewJei-sey Application June 28-, 1947, Serial No. 757,757

19 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of shoes and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms, for example, tov press or lay a sole member upon the bottom of a shoe on a last.

A machine commonly used in pressing or laying soles on the bottoms of lasted shoes is one of the type illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,920,977, granted Au ustfi, 1933, upon an application filed in the name of Sidney J. Finn. In a machine of that type the lasted shoe and a sole are placed in a pressure box provided at the top with a flexible diaphragm. upon which the sole and shoe are mounted. Fluid, such as water, is then forced into. the pressure box to distend. the diaphragm. and wrapittightly around the sole and lower portion of the shoe, the shoe being supported against the pressure applied. through the diaphragm by a jack provided with suitable abutments for engaging the toeportion of the shoe and the top of the last at the heel portion of the shoe.

In machines of the type referred to the jack is normally located in a position at one side of the pressure box and it is swung laterally into operative position over the diaphra m. during the, operation of the machine after the shoe has been placed upon the diaphragm, the shoe being moved slightly upwardly by the machine o press it firmly against the jack abutment/s before the diaphragm is distended to apply. pressure to the shoe bottom.

The toe abutment. or pad of the jack in such machines is moved into clamping relation with the toe portion of the shoe automatically before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom by. mechanism fully disclosed in the patent referred to, this mechanism locking the toe pad against upward movement during the pressure applyingop.- eration. It is desirable, however, in order toprevent the heel end of the shoe from tilting or lift- :lng away from the diaphragm when pressure is sufficient space between he jack post and the r top of the last to permit the jack to. swing over the pressure box, when the shoe is mounted therein, to maintain the. jack. postin an elevated. posie tion until after it is, swung into position over the pressure box so that the jack post will always the be irrespective of the size, or height. of thev parti u ar 1a t.b.eine-used.

accordance with one of its features, the.

present invention. provides improved means for ccomplishin his result ich a i a ed, mainta ns he hee abutment or Jack ost n a retracted or. elevated o ition while. the jac s. bein s ung into op rative osi io o r e Pr s: u e. hex. hav n a. shoe m u t d r in a d. moves. he. ack post n o. ope a ive enga em nt ith th top f the lastin the shoe befor pressur is applied to the shoe bottom. As herein ill-use hate t mean f r mo ng he a k ost. in en a emen w h he top of the. last p efera ly c mprises, a W dge positi ned between the ac and j aclg post and arranged for sliding move;- ment transversely or laterally thereof so that, when the wedge is moved in onev direction, the jack post is brought into engagement with the last in the shoe, and, when the wedge, is moved in n her dir t o heiack, pos i moved away from h a t and tu ned oits in tia or inoperative position.

I o an e. w th ano e ieature. of the i vention, the wedge is moved to operate the jack post autom ca nd i p ede ermin timed; r la i to the era on o th r stv o m hine and, mor particularly, i timed elation to the application of pressure to the shoe bottom, As illustrated, the wedge is actuated to move the a k s i to perative. ngag m nt ith he last in h shoe. af r e, ack h s been swung l terally intov operative relation to. the pressure box but before the diaphragm. is distended to pp y essur to the shoe. bott m. Ac o d n ly he. J c os w ll ear the, top. of. th las as the Jack. is wun nto. operative po itionv ela iv lvto th shoe irre pect e of he heig of the s while, onthe other hand, the heel end of the-shoe will. b prevented from ift n or raisin away r m he aohraemduii h h pressure a pl n operation, particularly at the start'of such open: atil n, because the jack post .will have, been moved into actualv engagement with. the last before any pressure has been applied to the shoe bottom.

sherehi ill strat d.themeausforaccomplishing these results automatically and in, the. timed sequ nce referred o comprises mechanism, in: cluding a ell-c ank ever and a. sol no d f or onena in sa d lever, construct anda traneed, uPQ nergizing of th so1enoilii to. move the. w d e lat rally in o e direction. etw en he ack and jack, post. In order to. energizev th so enoid t the proper time, a micro-switch is provided which is operated to open and close a push button switch by further mechanism arranged to cooperate with a portion of the machine associated with the pressure applying mechanism so that the micro-switch will be operated at exactly the right time with respect to the pressure applying operation. Accordingly, the jack post is moved automatically into operative engagement with the last in the shoe after the jack has been swung into operative position relatively to the pressure box and shoe, but before any pressure has been applied through the diaphragm to the shoe bottom.

After the pressure applying operation has been completed and the pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom, the solenoid is de-energized to permit the wedge operating mechanism to be returned to its initial inoperative position with the wedge in a position in which the jack post is spaced from the last in the shoe and is located a sufiicient distance away from the diaphragm, to clear the top of the last irrespective of its height, this action preferably being effected, as herein illustrated, by resilient means, such as a spring, which operates automatically to return the parts to their initial inoperative positions after the solenoid has been de-energized, the jack post being returned to its elevated position before the jack as a whole is swung laterally into its inoperative position at one side of the pressure box, thereby eliminating any danger of the jack post being still in engagement with the last at the time the jack is returned to its inoperative position.

With the above and other objects and features in View, the invention will now be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings and will thereafter be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the jack mechanism of a machine for applying pressure toshoe bottoms in which the present invention is embodied, shown with mechanism for controlling the jack;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the machine showing the jack engaging the last in a shoe mounted in the pressure box of the machine; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the rear side plate of the machine with portions of the mechanism shown in elevation.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the machine, a brief description of its mode of operation will be given. Referring to Fig. 2, the machine is provided with a pressure box 6 which is in communication with an upright cylinder 8 having a piston by movement of which water may be forced into the box when desired. A rubber diaphragm Ill forms the top of the pressure box, the diaphragm being held loosely in place and its middle portion resting upon a rigid plate l2. The plate [2 is adjustab ly supported by two cams l4 and I E fastened respectively to rockshafts l8 and 2B and interconnected by a link 22, the purpose of which is to facilitate heightwise adjustment of the plate [2 for shoes of different sizes.

Located above the diaphragm i is a plurality of plates; a back plate 24, a front plate 26, a rear side plate 28, and a forward side plate (not shown). The purpose of these plates is to mask and support against the pressure of the fluid from the cylinder that portion of the diaphragm which does not engage the shoe so that such portion will not be unduly distended during the pressure applying operation with the consequent liability of bursting. The back mask plate 24 is adjustable but is stationary during the operation of the machine and normally the front plate and the two side plates are held in their open or retracted positions so that a shoe A on a last B with a sole 0, for example, an unvulcaniZed rubber sole, positioned on its bottom may be passed through the opening enclosed by the plates into a position in which the shoe rests upon the diaphragm iii. When the shoe has been so placed, a treadle is depressed and the following movements take place.

The front plate 26 moves into engagement with the forward portion of the shoe and, at the same time, an upper casting 3B of the jack is swung from an inoperative position at one side of the pressure box into the position shown in Fig. 2 in which a jack post 32 carried by the casting 38 is located directly above the heel portion of the last B. The jack 35 and its operating mechanism, except for the construction of the jack post 32 and actuating mechanism associated therein, are substantially the same as those of the machine disclosed in the patent referred to and, accordingly, no detailed description of the jack will be necessary herein. The rigid plate 52 is now moved upwardly to force the toe portion of the shoe against the underside of the front plate 26, after which the rear side plate 23 and the forward side plate referred to'are moved into engagement with the opposite sides of the shoe. The

edges of all the mask plates are covered with a relatively thick layer of rubber 33 and the construction is such that, after the plates have been moved inwardly, there is substantially no space between the edges of the plates and the adjacent portions of the shoe, the edge of the stationary back plate 24 being curved to correspond ap-.

proximately to the curvature of the back of the shoe at the point engaged. Consequently, a high water pressure may be applied to the diaphragm i0 without danger of bursting it by forcing a portion or portions of the diaphragm up between the plates and the shoe. After the shoe has been positioned on the diaphragm and the plates closed about the shoe as described, the piston in the cylinder 8 forces water into the pressure box 6 to wrap the diaphragm about the lower portion of the shoe and thereby press the sole firmly against the shoe bottom and bend the margin of the sole upwardly to press it against the lower margin of the shoe. After the pressure applying operation has been completed and pressure has been relieved from the shoe, the parts of the machine are returned to their initial normal positions of rest. The piston, the water reservoir, and the mechanism for operating the piston are, or may be, the same as are disclosed in the patent referred to and, accordingly, no further description of these mechanisms will be given herein.

The jack comprises the arm or casting 30 carried by a pair of upright threaded rods (not shown) provided on the machine whereby the casting may be adjusted vertically, the lower portions of these vertical rods being connected by a heavy casting 34 (Fig. 2) and the rod in the portion of the casting 34 shown in Fig. 2 being rotatable about its axis so that the jack may be swung from a position at one side of the diaphragm into a position in which the jack post 32 will be located directly above the heel portion of the last in the shoe resting on the diaphragm. The mechanism for swinging-the jack in the manner described disclosed in the patent mentioned above towhich referenqe may be had for a complete description of this mechanism.

Th lack post 32 isccn-nected to the cas i 30 of the jack. by means of a vertical shaft 36 fastened in a socket in the casting 30 by a screw 38. The upper portion of the jack post is provided with a vertical bore 40 into which the lower end of the shaft 36 extends, the jack post being secured to the shaftv by a tapered pin 42, as shown in Fig. 2. The jack post 32. is spaced from the casting 30 by a rectangular sleeve or collar 44 secured to the shaft by a set screw 46 or any other suitable means.

As illustrated in 1,. thev jack post 32 is rectanguar in shape and QOmprises a upper portion 48 and a lower portion 50 between which is interposed a, wedge 52, the upper and lower surfaces of the wedge being, inclined so that they converge toward the left and beingv engaged by correspondingly inclined surfaces formed respectively on the upper and lower portions 48 and 50 of the jack post. As shown in Fig. 1, the wedge I52 is cut away at its, Opposite sides to provide flanges 54 and 56, respectively, on its inclined upper and lower surfaces. The upper and lower surfaces of the wedge are also provided, respectively, with friction plates 58 and 60 which may be composed of any well-known frictionized material and which are secured to the inclined surfaces of the wedge, preferably by soldering or brazing. The angles of inclination of the. upper and lower surfaces of the wedge 52 are. such that, when augmented by the friction created by the plates 58 and 60, they will not. permit the wedge to move or slip from its position between the jack post sections 48 and 50 even though relatively heavy pressure is applied to the lower end of the jack post. In other words, the coefficient of friction between the wedge 52 and the jack post sections is such that any pressure that may be applied to a shoe through the diaphragm III will be sustained or supported by the jack. post without slippage of the wedge.

Referring to Fig. I, the upper portion 48 of the jack post 32' has secured to its opposite sides by screws 6I a pair of T-shaped members 62, 64 which are provided respectively with inclined slots 68 and I0, into which the opposite flanges 54 on the upper surface of the wedge extend to gether with the overlying portions of the friction plates 58.

Each of the T-shaped members 62 and 64 is provided with a downwardly extending projection I2 which fits slidingly into a vertical slot It formed in the outer surface of each of a pair of blocks I6 and l8'secured respectively to the forward and rear sides of the lower portion of the jack post by screws I9, the blocks I6 and It also having inclined slots 80 and 82 formed respectively in their inner surfaces for receiving the flanges 56 on the lower surface of the wedge52 together with the marginal portions of the friction plate 60 which underlie these flanges. This construction causes the lower portion 50 of the jack post to be supported by the wedge 52 through the flanges 56 in the slots 80, 82' and causes the portion 5!! to be moved down or up toward or away from the diaphragm II) when the wedge 52 is moved transversely or laterally of the post in a manner to be presently described, the projections I2. on the T-shaped members 62, 64' guiding the portion 50 in its heightwise movement by reason of their 16 and T8.

The lower end of the lwrtion, 50 of. the jack post is provided with a contact member 84 which is pivoted on. a. pin 86 extending between ears on the post and is normally maintained with its lower face in a substantially horizontal plane by a pair of compression springs 88 Gig. 2)- interposed between the jack. post and the contact member 84, the latter beingthusable to pivot laterally of the post to a just, itself to the angle of the top of the last which itengages in sup--v porting the shoe against pressure applied through the diaphragm Ill.

The wedge 52 is moved laterally or crosswise of the jack post 32 by the following mechanism. The upper portion 48- of the jack post is provided with an integral arm 96. which. projects toward. the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and is slotted to provide a pair of ears between which is' rotatably mounted on a pin 92 a bell-crank lever 94, the lower arm of the lever being pivotally connected by a, link 96 to the small end of the wedge 52. The bell-crank lever has.v an upper arm 58 which is bifurcated at its outer end to provide cars which have a pin I09 rotatably mounted therein. Extending loosely through a hole in the pin It!!! is a rod I02, the upper end of which is enlarged andis. pivotally connected by a pin set to the core 05 of a solenoid H16, the latter being supportedby a bracket I08- secured by screws It? (Fig. 2') to the rectangular collar 44 previously referred. to. The solenoid is wired in any usual manner by wiring Hi} to a microswitcn N2 of any well-known commercial construction contained in a switch box or housing which in turn is secured to a bracket I'I4 fastened to a stationary portion II'5 of the frame of the machine by screws II 6.

The rod I02" is surrounded below the pin I00 by a spring H8 which is retained on the rod by a collar I 20 fastened to its lower end. When the micro-switch I-I'Z is closed; in a manner to be presently explained, the solenoid I06 is energized to elevate the core I05 and, through the spring II 8, torotate the bell-crank lever 94 yieldingly in a clockwise directionand" thus movethe wedge 52 toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and. 2, from the position indicated by the broken line 52 in Fig. 2"to a position which lowers the portion 50 of the jack post 32 until the contact member 84 thereon engages the top of the heelend of the last B: in the shoe A, as illustrated in Fig. 2. In this way the jack post 32 is moved automatically into operative engagement with the last in the shoe after the shoe has been.

positioned on the diaphragm III. After the pressure ap lying operation has been completed and pressure on the shoe has been relieved, the micro-switch I I 2 is opened automatically, as will be presently explained, to de energize the solenoid and permitthe parts to be returned to their initial or inoperative positions, the return of the wedge to the dotted position indicated in Fig. 2 being effected by a tension spring I22'connected at its lower end to a third arm I23 of the bell-crank lever-"9'4 and, at its upper end, to the bracket I08 by a; hook I24. Accordingly, when the solenoid is de-energized by the opening of the micro-switch M2, the parts are returned to their inoperative positions automatically by. the

with a usual, springepressed push button control 1 member I26 (Fig.3)"inward movement of which closes the micro-switch to energize the solenoid,

7-. the push button returning automatically to its open position when released by reason of its spring-pressed construction. The bracket H4 is provided forwardly of the micro-switch I 2 with a rectangular block I28 having a vertical slot I30 formed in one side thereof covered by a plate I32 secured to the block by screws I34. Mounted for vertical sliding movement in the slot I30 is a bar I36 which is bifurcated at its opposite ends to provide ears thereon. Mounted on a in I38 between the ears at the upper end of the bar I36 is a roll I40 and mounted on a pin I42 between the lower ears is a roll I44. The roll I44 is normally located forwardly ,of the rear side plate 28 which, as explained above, slides inwardly and outwardly with the other mask plates referred to relatively to the shoe to cover and protect the diaphragm I during the pressure applying operation. The bar I36 is normally held in its lowermost position (Fig. 1) by a spring I46 extending between a pin I48 in the bar and a pin I49 in the cover plate I32 of the block I28, this position being determined by the pin I48 engaging the lower end of a slot I50 in the cover plate (Fig. 3).

When the treadle is depressed to start the operation of the machine, the jack 30 is swung into position over the diaphragm II], as explained above, to locate the jack post 32 above the shoe and, at the same time, the front plate 26 moves into engagement with the forward portion of the shoe. The side plates then move inwardly into contact with the opposite sides of the shoe, as previously explained, thereby causing the rear sid plate 28 to pass under the roll I44 on the bar I36 and elevate this bar a distance sumcient to position the center of the roll I40 in substantial alinement with the axis of the push button I26 of the micro-switch II2, thereby closing the micro-switch and energizing the solenoid I66.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the micro-switch is closed by engagement of the rear side plate 28 with the lower roll I44 before fluid is forced by the piston into the pressure box 6 to distend the diaphragm I0 and cause it to be wrapped around the lower portion of the shoe. Consequently, the jack post 32, which at that time is located directly over the shoe, will be moved down by the wedge 52 to bring the contact member 84 into operative engagement with the last in the shoe before pressure is applied through the diaphragm ID to the shoe bottom.

After the pressure applying operation has been completed and pressure on the shoe has been relieved, the side plates move outwardly away from the shoe before actuation of the mechanism for swinging the jack into its inoperative position at one side of the diaphragm. Accordingly, the side plate 28 will move out of engagement with the roll I44 to permit the bar I36 to descend to open the micro-switch, thereby deenergizing the solenoid I 08 and permitting the spring I22 to return the bell-crank lever 94 and wedge 52 to their initial or inoperative positions, the initial position of the wedge 52, as stated, being indicated by the broken line 52' in Fig. 2. Since the lower portion 50 of the jack post is supported by the flanges 56 on the lower surface of the wedge 52, movement of the wedge to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, will move the lower portion 50 of the jack post upwardly away from the last in the shoe and into its normal or inoperative position, the portion 50 being guided in a vertical path during its upward movement by the projections I2 in thevertical slots I4. After the jack post 32 has been withdrawn from the shoe, the mechanism provided in the machine for swinging the jack 30 into its inoperative position at one side of the diaphragm operates automatically to swing the jack into such position, thereby returning all the parts to their inoperative positions and permitting the shoe and sole to be removed from the diaphragm. Since the jack post 32 is not withdrawn from engagement with the last until after the pressure applying operation has been completed and the pressure has been relieved to permit the diaphragm to return to its normal loose condition, the present construction insures against dama e to the shoe or to the diaphragm such as might be caused by attempting to withdraw the jack post too soon. Moreover, since the jack post is automatically returned to its elevated position before the jack 30 is swung laterally away from the diaphragm into its position at one side of the diaphragm, there is no danger of causing damage to the shoe or to the jack post as there might be if the jack post were still in operative engagement with the last when the automatic mechanism for swinging the jack into its inoperative position started to operate. Consequently, the present invention not only insures against damaging the diaphragm, the jack or the shoe during the normal operation of the machine, but, at the same time, it permits shoes of different sizes to be operated upon successively by the machine without permitting any tilting or lifting of the heel portion of the shoe at the start of the pressure applying operation, such as would occur if the jack post 32 were not in actual operative engagement with the last before the diaphragm was distended by fluid from the piston to apply pressure to the shoe bottom.

While the invention has been disclosed herein, by way of illustration, as embodied in a machine for applying pressure to shoe bottoms of the type shown in the patent referred to above, the invention obviously has utility in other types of machines. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in the scope of its application to the particular machine or type of machine which has been shown and described herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a member for engaging the last to support the shoe against said pressure, said member being normally spaced from the shoe, and yieldingly operated means for moving said member automatically into operative engagement with said last before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom.

2. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a lasted shoe, 2. member movable relatively to the last in the shoe to support the shoe against pressure ap plied by said means, said member being normally located a distance away from the last, and means for automatically moving said member a variable distance controlled by the size of the last to bring said member into operative relation with said last before the pressure applying means applies pressure to the shoe bottom.

3. A'machine for use in applying pressure to applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a member movable toward and away from the shoe for engaging the last and supporting the shoe against said pressure, said member being normally located a distance away from the shoe, and yieldingly operated means for automatically moving said member toward the shoe a distance sufiicient only to bring said member into operative engagement with the last and for withdrawing the member from the last.

4. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a support, a member carried by the support for engaging the last and supporting the shoe against pressure applied by the pressure applying means, said member being normally located an indeterminate distance from the shoe, and means for automatically lengthening said member relatively to the support an amount sufficient only to bring it into operative engagement with the last irrespective of the size of said last.

5. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a member for engaging the last and supporting the shoe against said pressure, said member being movable in one direction to engage the last and in another direction to withdraw from the last, and yieldingly operated means for moving said member automatically into engagement with the last before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom and for withdrawing said member from the last after pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom, said means moving said member variable distances depending upon the sizes of the lasts operated upon.

6. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack post movable into and out of engagement with said last for supporting the shoe against said pressure, said jack post being normally spaced from the last, and automatically operating means for moving the jack post a distance determined by the height of the last to bring said post into operative engagement with the last before the pressure applying means applies pressure to the shoe bottom and for returning said post to its inoperative position after the pressure applying operation has been completed and pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom.

'7. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack normally positioned at one side of the pressure applying means and swingable into operative position over said means, a jack post on the jack for engaging the last in the shoe and supporting the shoe against pressure applied by said pressure applying means, said jack post being normally spaced an indeterminate distance above the last in the shoe, and means for automatically moving said jack post into operative engagement with the last after the jack has been swung into operative position over the pressure applying means but before said pressure applying means has applied pressure to the shoe bottom.

8. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a support, a vertical member carried by the support for engaging the last and supporting the shoe against pressure applied by said means, said member being normally located a predetermined distance above the pressure applying means, and yieldingly operating means for lengthening said vertical member automatically relatively to the support to bring said member into operative engagement with the last before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom, said means being also arranged to shorten said member automatically to remove it from the last after pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom.

9. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a member movable toward and away from the shoe for engaging the last to support the shoe against pressure applied by said means, said member being normally spaced from the shoe, and automatically operated means controlled by operation of said pressure applying means for moving saig member into operative engagement with the las 10. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a lasted shoe, a member movable toward and away from the shoe for engaging the last in the shoe and supporting the shoe against pressure applied by said pressure applying means, said member being normally spaced a distance away from the shoe, and means controlled by operation of said pressure applying means for moving said member automatically into operative engagement with the last and for thereafter withdrawing the member away fro-m said last.

11. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack post movable heightwise toward and away from the shoe for engaging the last therein and supporting the shoe against pressure applied by the pressure applying means, said post being normally spaced an indeterminate distance above the shoe, and means controlled automatically by operation of said pressure applying means for lowering the jack post heightwise into operative engagement with said last before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom and for returning said jack post heightwise into its normal position after the pressure applying means has relieved the pressure on the shoe bottom.

12. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for; applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack, a post carried by the jack and normally located a predetermined distance away from the pressure applying means, said post being arranged to engage the last and support the shoe against pressure applied by said pressure applying means, a wedge interposed between the jack and jack post, and yieldingly operated means for automatically moving the wedge in one direction to bring the jack post into operative engagement with the last and in another direction to withdraw the post from the last.

13. A machine for use in applying pressure to,

shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack, a post carried by the jack and normally spaced an indeterminate distance from the shoe for engaging the last and supporting the shoe against pressure applied by said pressure applying means, a wedge interposed between the jack and jack post and arranged for sliding movement laterally thereof, a bell-crank lever connected to said wedge, yieldingly operating means connected to said bell-crank lever for automatically effecting rotation of said bell-crank lever and thereby causing sliding movement of the wedge in a direction and for a distance sufficient only to move the jack post into operative engagement with the last irrespective of its size before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom, and means arranged to move the wedge in an opposite direction to return the jack post to its initial position after pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom.

14. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack, a post carried by the jack for engaging the last and supporting the shoe against pressure applied by the pressure applying means, said post being normally spaced an indeterminate distance above the shoe, a wedge interposed between the jack and jack post and arranged for movement laterally thereof, a bell-crank lever having one arm connected to the wedge, a solenoid connected to another arm of said bell-crank lever, means controlled by operation of the pressure applying means for energizing the solenoid to move the bell-crank lever automatically in a direction to cause the wedge to bring the jack post into operative engagement with the last, and resilient means for thereafter returning the bellcrank lever and wedge to their initial positions to withdraw the jack post from the last and return it to its normal position.

15. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, means for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack, a post on said jack for supporting the shoe against said pressure, said post being normally spaced from the shoe, a wedge interposed between the jack and jack post, a bellcrank lever having one arm connected to the wedge, a solenoid yieldingly connected to the other arm of said bell-crank lever, means controlled automatically by operation of the pressure applying means for energizing the solenoid to swing the bell-crank lever to move the wedge in a direction to bring the jack post into operative engagement with the last before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom, and means for returning the wedge and solenoid to their initial positions to withdraw the jack post from the last after pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom.

16. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, a flexible diaphragm for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack, a post on the jack for engaging the last and supporting the shoe against said pressure, said post being normally spaced from the shoe, means located outside the diaphragm and having an opening therein large enough for the shoe to pass through, mechanism for operating said last-named means to decrease the size of said opening, and means controlled by operation of said last-named means for moving the jack post automatically into operative engagement with the last before pressure is applied by said diaphragm to the shoe bottom.

1'7. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, a presthe bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack, a post on the jack for engaging the last in the shoe and supporting the shoe against pressure applied through said diaphragm, said post being normally spaced an indeterminate distance from the shoe, a plurality of movable members located outside the box adjacent to said diaphragm and having an opening therein large enough for the shoe to pass through, mechanism for moving said members to decrease the size of the opening and position said members close to the shoe, and means controlled automatically by operation of said members for moving the jack post into operative engagement with the last.

18. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, a pressure box, one wall of which comprises a flexible diaphragm through which pressure is applied to the bottom of a shoe on a last, a jack movable from a position at one side of the shoe into a position over the shoe, a post carried by said jack for engaging the last in the shoe and supporting it against pressure applied through said sure box, one wall of which comprises a flexible 7 diaphragm through which pressure is applied to diaphragm, said post being normally spaced an indeterminate distance from the shoe, a plurality of plates mounted outside the pressure box adjacent to the diaphragm and providing an opening large enough to permit the shoe to pass through, mechanism for moving said plates relatively to the diaphragm to decrease the size of the opening and position the plates close to the shoe, means controlled by the operation of said plates for moving the jack post into operative engagement with the last before pressure is applied to the shoe bottom, and separate means for returning the jack post to its inoperative position after pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom.

19. A machine for use in applying pressure to shoe bottoms having, in combination, a pressure box, one wall of which comprises a flexible diaphragm, a jack, a post on said jack normally spaced a predetermined distance above the diaphragm, a plurality of movable plates located outside the box adjacent to the diaphragm and having an opening therein large enough for the shoe to pass through, mechanism for moving the plates transversely of the diaphragm to decrease the size of said opening, a wedge interposed between said jack and jack post, a solenoid connected to the wedge, a micro-switch, means controlled by movement of said plates transversely for closing the micro-switch to energize the solenoid and thereby slide the wedge between the jack and jack post in a direction to move the jack post downwardly into operative engagement with the top of the last in the shoe before pressure is applied through said diaphragm to the shoe bottom, and means for returning the Wedge and jack post automatically to their inoperative positions after pressure has been relieved from the shoe bottom.

CHARLES F. FITZGERALD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Dawson et a1. Apr. 2, 1946 Number 

